World Briefing | Europe: Belgium: Cluster Bomb Investments Barred

Published: March 3, 2007

Belgium became the first country to make it a crime to invest in companies that make cluster bombs, the law's author, Senator Philippe Mahoux, said. Belgium's law, approved by the upper house, specified that a list of manufacturers would be published by Parliament, he said. It would prohibit banks from offering credit to cluster bomb makers and from owning shares or bonds of those companies. This move followed a pledge in Oslo last week by 46 countries to work for a treaty next year to ban the bombs, which contain many ''bomblets'' that explode over a wide area and may strike unintended targets. Bomblets that do not immediately explode can remain lethal long after combat ends.